Police trying to track deadly drug source

Wednesday

Aug 6, 2014 at 6:00 AMAug 6, 2014 at 2:36 PM

Three more people died from overdoses Tuesday afternoon, the latest in a string of casualties that has authorities on a hunt for the source of the deadly drugs. "We are certainly concerned with identifying the cause of deaths, whether it is from a bad batch of narcotics or high-quality doses," Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said.

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — Three more people died from overdoses Tuesday afternoon, the latest in a string of casualties that has authorities on a hunt for the source of the deadly drugs.

Officials said the rate of drug overdoses puts the city on track for more than 500 this year 2014, roughly five times more than the 96 overdoses in 2006. In 2013, there were 447 drug overdoses, police said, not all of them fatal.

"When you have people dying in your community you have to get to the source or the cause of the deaths," Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said. "If it involves drug overdoses and the source is illegal narcotics, we have an obligation to ensure public safety for the entire community regardless of who is victimized."

The Tuesday deaths come on the heels of a gruesome discovery Monday inside an Outlook Drive apartment. Three men were found dead in the apartment of what authorities suspect were heroin overdoses. The three men, ages 49, 54, and 55, have not been publicly identified.

In the first five days of August, eight drug overdose deaths have occurred. Police suspect heroin as the cause in seven of the deaths. Investigators are awaiting autopsy results.

"We are looking at all available evidence and devoting a significant number of resources to identifying the source of the substances," Chief Gemme said. "We are certainly concerned with identifying the cause of deaths, whether it is from a bad batch of narcotics or high-quality doses. We want to identify what is causing these deaths."

District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. called the Worcester overdose numbers this month alarming. He said investigators are seeing drug overdoses routinely across the county.

The sources and cause of the overdoses remains an open question. It could be someone putting out potent heroin, or users are falling victim to a higher quality heroin.

"We believe there is a possibility users are mixing heroin with other substances for a greater effect," Chief Gemme said. "The majority of heroin we are seeing is very high-quality heroin."

Police in the city have seen a range in the quality of heroin. Tests have shown purity rates of 17, 19, 33, 36, 41, 51 and 67 percent pure, Chief Gemme said.

"With heroin there is no quality control," Mr. Early said. "That is why someone using heroin is rolling the dice every time they use it."

Red, yellow and purple flower petals were scattered outside the basement apartment on Outlook Drive on Tuesday, a day after the men were found dead.

Ereca Diaz, a neighbor, said the last time she saw the man living in the apartment, who she knew as "Frankie," was Friday.

On Sunday she smelled an odor like garbage coming from her neighbor's apartment. Monday she alerted building managers.

"I just had a gut feeling something was wrong," she said. "It was real quiet in his apartment. Usually you hear some noise in there."

She did not have any knowledge of her neighbor using drugs.

In all of the deaths, investigators have to determine the quality of the drug and whether it was cut with other substances. Mr. Early said Tuesday his office is reviewing whether criminal charges — such as homicide or manslaughter — can be pursued in the deaths. Investigators will have to see if there is a link between the deaths.

Chief Gemme said his department recognizes overdoses as a public health issue. His officers have undergone training to administer naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, which is used to reverse an opioid overdose. Officers are expected to begin carrying Narcan relatively soon.

"We want police to have the ability to administer Narcan in order to save lives in the community," Chief Gemme said.

Chief Gemme believes officers could be equipped in the next couple of weeks. The department anticipates having to administer about five doses per week.

The Police Department routinely sends out seized heroin for testing. Drug investigators have found that heroin is being sold for as little as $8 for a small bag — a cheap alternative for those addicted to OxyContin.

"You can get a bag of heroin for less than a pack of cigarettes," Mr. Early said.

Prescription drug users sometimes move to heroin, a cheaper replacement but lacking the quality control of prescription drugs.

Derek S. Brindisi, the city's director of Public Health, said July and August tend to be the months with the highest number of drug overdoses. There were 39 in July 2013 and 42 in August 2013, he said. This July there were 43.

Opioids are the leading cause of drug overdoses in the city, he said.

"There's a heavy use of prescription drugs out there," Mr. Brindisi said.

The city continues to monitor drug overdoses and also to educate health care providers and dentists about over-prescribing in order to reduce the amount of drugs on the streets. The city also conducts prescription drug take-back events.

The Health Department also works to educate city youth about prescription drug use.